560 Ultra Leaking Fantastic Fan

[skeenut]

Symptoms are intermittent water in the cabin; visible (small) stream of water dripping through the storage compartments located above your knees and then onto the bed.
Upon inspecting the roof I found that some of the screws holding the fan onto the roof have lost their dab of sealant. I think that's my entry point.
My questions are:
1. What is the recommended sealant to re-dab the screw heads?
2. Since the sealant on the screw heads has deteriorated, should I assume the sealant between the fan and the roof is also compromised?
2A. Is there a best practices workflow around removing, inspecting and re-installing fan? Is there a gasket that can or should be replaced, or is it just sealed with some sort of caulk?
2B. Common pitfalls or things to watch out for when removing and re-installing the fan?

 

[SethB]

I’d think this would be worth a call to the crew in Necedah!

Not specific to how camp-inns are built, there is a flexible semi-rigid caulk commonly used in the RV industry called butyl tape or putty tape. That would be my first choice for re-seating the fan.
Amazon.com: Dicor BT-1834-1 1/8" x 3/4" x 30' Butyl Seal Tape: Automotive

Getting fresh product that is still flexible and not partially solidified is important. It comes in a couple colors (natural, white). It’s probably available at a local RV parts supply like Camping World, a better bet for getting fresh stuff.

For screw heads you’ll want to be careful to buy a silicone caulk for outdoor use that lists UV resistance. The Amazon page lists Dicor self-leveling sealant, I see there are some comments about it in the reviews.

I did a lot of resealing of roof trim and exterior hardware installation on a previous camper using these products, with great results. But, being self-taught, I’d sure call the experts!

 

[skeenut]

Hi Seth,
Thanks for the pointer toward the Sealing Tape and the UV resistant silicone caulk.
A call to Campinn is probably a good idea. Hoping someone chimes in that has, "Been there, done that."

 

[Cary Winch]

If the water is coming in from the cabinet above your knees it is not the roof fan. It is either a galley hatch hinge that has come unglued on the end or if you have an air conditioner something related to the drain system for that.

We do not put a sealant on the head of the roof fan screws. It is not necessary because of how we seal the screws. If your camper has sealant on top of the screw heads it is something that was done after it left the factory. It does not hurt to apply a sealant to the screw heads but it is unnecessary and would only cause swearing on the part of the person who may someday have to service the roof fan.

Either way, shoot Camp-Inn an email and we can work through the troubleshooting of it with you.

Cary